Kumas Cake

An Indian Parsi Heritage Video

Recipe by Rita Jamshed Kapadia

Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients

• 6 oz salted butter (melted)

• 2 cups sugar

• 5 eggs

• 1/4 cup grated blanched Almonds for cake mix

• 1 cup wheat flour

• 1 cup rava (fine grain semolina)

• 1/2 cup cake flour or baking plain flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 3 tsp cardamom powder

• 2 tsp nutmeg

• 1 1/2 cup yogurt (Measure the yogurt and keep in glass container at room temperature covered, the day ahead.)

• 5 -7 strands of Saffron (see video for use of saffron)

• 1/4 cup grated blanched Almonds for Garnish

Method

1. On the day of baking Grind 1/2 tsp saffron and add to yogurt. Keep aside this is your wet mix.

2. Prepare a 13 by 9 inch glass tray by applying melted butter and sprinkling flour.

3. Sift and combine the flours in a large bowl.

4. Add to the flour mix, 1/4 cup of almonds, baking powder, salt, cardamon and nutmeg. Keep aside this is your dry mix.

5. In a mixer, cream the sugar and eggs. Add eggs one by one.

6. Alternate and add the dry mix and wet yogurt saffron mix a small portion at a time (see video). Blend well.

7. Pour out in the baking tray.

8. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put tray in oven for 5 minutes till dough is hot. Now add all of the melted butter to the bubbly kumas, mix well and stir with a spatula till all the butter is absorbed. This is essential to a fluffy and moist kumas cake! 

9. If desired sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped almonds on top.

10. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes in a pre-heated oven. Now and then check with inserting a toothpick or a blunt knife, to make sure kumas cake is baked. If the knife comes out clean without sticky dough, know the kumas is done.

Recipe is from Rita’s cookbook – Parsi Cuisine Manna of the 21st Century.